RealVals
RealVals is an American residential real estate appraisal firm based in San Rafael, California. The firm provides certified residential appraisals in San Francisco and Marin County for market value, pre-listing, divorce, property tax appeal, date of death, probate and trust, gift tax, and retrospective purposes.[1][2]
Founder Austin Fernald, a California Certified Residential Appraiser, personally performs every assignment, and reports are prepared to comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and IRS appraisal guidelines. The firm works with homeowners, buyers, attorneys, CPAs, executors, trustees, and private lenders.[2] Its service area covers San Francisco and Marin County, with assignments in neighboring counties accepted on a case-by-case basis.[3]
History
RealVals was founded in 2016 by Austin Fernald, a California Certified Residential Appraiser (license AR3002942) who has worked in residential appraisal full-time for 14 years.[2] Fernald grew up in a family involved in residential investment and appraisal work before establishing the firm in Marin County.[2]
Fernald remains the firm's owner and sole appraiser and has completed more than 3,000 appraisal reports. The practice covers general residential valuation as well as estate, divorce, tax, and other legal and financial purposes that require reports written for attorney, CPA, court, or IRS review.[2]
Services
RealVals provides appraisals of single-family homes, condominiums and townhomes, cooperative units, 2 to 4 unit buildings, residential income and investment property, vacant residential land, and new construction.[1] Its appraisal services include:[1]
- Market value appraisals: current-date valuations for private sales, buyouts, financial planning, and homeowners or buyers who need to know what a property is worth today
- Pre-listing appraisals: an independent opinion of value before a property goes on the market
- Divorce appraisals: fair market value for the division of community property, as of the date of separation, the date of trial, or both
- Property tax appeal appraisals: valuations for appeals to the San Francisco and Marin County Assessment Appeals Boards
- Date of death appraisals: retrospective valuations as of the day the owner died, documenting stepped-up basis for heirs and estate tax filings
- Probate and trust appraisals: value for estate administration, trust accounting, court filings, and distribution to beneficiaries
- Gift tax appraisals: fair market value of property transferred during the owner's lifetime, for reporting on IRS Form 709
- Retrospective appraisals: value as of a prior date for capital gains calculations, litigation, estate planning, and Proposition 19 transfers
- Hard money and private loan appraisals: current value, and after-repair value where required, for private lenders and investors
Reports are written for the homeowner, attorney, CPA, court, lender, or buyer who will read them, and comply with USPAP and IRS appraisal guidelines. Most reports are delivered within 4 to 5 business days after inspection.[1][2]
Service areas
The firm is headquartered in San Rafael and appraises property in every San Francisco neighborhood and every Marin County city and town, including Larkspur, Mill Valley, Novato, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Sausalito, Tiburon, and the West Marin coast.[3] Its coverage by county:[3]
- San Francisco County (primary)
- Marin County (primary)
- Neighboring Bay Area counties (case-by-case, typically portfolios and estates with properties in several locations)
Online tools
RealVals publishes a set of free online real estate calculators and market-trend resources for Bay Area communities, alongside reference material including an appraisal checklist, terminology glossary, general appraisal FAQ, and a date of death appraisal FAQ.[4]
Reception
RealVals holds a 4.9 rating across 27 Google and Yelp reviews from homeowners, estate attorneys, trustees, and CPAs.[2] The firm maintains customer review profiles on Yelp and Google, and is listed with the Better Business Bureau and national appraiser directories including US Appraiser Search, AppraiserUSA, and e-Appraisers Directory.[5][6][7] Client reviews are aggregated at the firm's reviews site, realvalsreviews.com.[8]
See also
- Real estate appraisal
- Fair market value
- Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice
- Probate
- Stepped-up basis
- Community property
References
- "Appraisal Services". RealVals. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
- "About RealVals". RealVals. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
- "Service Areas". RealVals. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
- "Real Estate Calculators". RealVals. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
- "RealVals - San Rafael, CA". Yelp. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
- "RealVals - Real Estate Appraiser Profile". Better Business Bureau. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
- "Realvals - California Appraisers". e-Appraisers Directory. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
- "RealVals Reviews". realvalsreviews.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.